High School Volleyball

Set for success: Beydler signs to play volleyball at Fontbonne (06/17/08)
By Andrew Powell ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com SIKESTON -- When 2008 graduate Rachel Beydler first applied to Fontbonne University in November her intentions weren't exactly set for volleyball reasons. However, when Griffins coach Crystal Spinner personally called Sikeston coach Steven Beydler to ask about the coach's daughter, those intentions changed...

Johnson to play two sports at Williams Baptist (05/19/08)
By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer There are many multiple-sport athletes in high school but rarely do athletes play more than one sport in college. Twin River's Briana Johnson is an exception. Johnson recently signed to play basketball and volleyball at Williams Baptist in Walnut Ridge, Ark...

Beydler signs with Fontbonne (04/18/08)
Sikeston Senior High School volleyball all-stater Rachel Beydler signed a letter of intent to attend Fontbonne University Thursday afternoon at the Field House. You can read more about Beydler's record-setting career at Sikeston in this Nov. 1 story in the Standard Democrat...

Teammates end up on opposite sides, enjoy final games (04/06/08)
By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer Twin Rivers' Briana Johnson rose from the floor and spiked the ball, sending it on a crash course for the court on the other side of the net. In the final round of the spiking competition, she fired a spike at 47 mph, winning the competition at the B.A. Sports All-Star Extravaganza at the Bess Activity Center in Poplar Bluff...

Miracle on the court: Delta C7 standout bounces back from near-fatal wreck (02/28/08)
Moving her feet to an upbeat song during a halftime break at the Tri-County Conference basketball tournament, Lindsey Bryant looks like your typical vibrant, athletic high school cheerleader. Which she is -- and that's what is all the more amazing. Back in July, Bryant, a junior at Delta C7 High School, was critically injured in an automobile accident in Pemiscot County. ...

All-Semoball girls volleyball team (01/10/08)
The top players in Southeast Missouri as selected with input from coaches by the Semoball.com staff:

Cassie Seiler, Leopold (12/11/07)
Position: Setter Year: Senior Plans for next year: Next year, I plan on going to play college volleyball, hopefully at Shawnee Community College Season stats: 650 assists, 166 digs, and 33 aces Favorite moment this season: The feeling of accomplishment after sectionals. I loved the community support before sectionals...

Desiree Arnzen, Leopold (12/11/07)
Position: Libero Year: Senior Plans for next year: Attend Murray State University and major in accounting Season stats: 208 digs, 25 aces Favorite moment this season: Winning sectionals, realizing we were going to state and having our whole town there to hug when we won...

Rachel Spears, Bell City (12/11/07)
Position: Hitter Year: Senior Plans for next year: Go to Missouri State in Springfield. I won't play in college, and I want to major in sociology Season stats: 208 kills, 54 aces, 217 digs, .306 hitting percentage, 137 assisted blocks, 66 solo blocks...

Casey Bucher, Leopold (12/11/07)
Position: Hitter Year: Junior Season stats: 240 kills/.312 hitting percentage, 67.5 blocks, 154 digs Favorite moment this season: The excitement in the gym from all the fans after winning sectionals Typical pre-game meal: Pasta Funniest moment this season: Watching Maddy Hutchings play defense during practice...

Lauren Johnson, Woodland (12/11/07)
Position: Hitter Year: Junior Season stats: 141 kills, 314 digs Favorite moment this season: The Woodland tournament with our cheering section and all the chants they had for us Typical pre-game meal: Fruit and a walnut salad from McDonald's Funniest moment this season: Diving on my head during the Dexter game. I was on the ground holding my head and seeing spots while everyone else was still playing...

Brooke Brown, St. Vincent (12/11/07)
Position: Hitter Year: Senior Plans for next year: I am planning on becoming a massage therapist. I would love to play volleyball in college, but I don't think I'm tall enough Season stats (through districts): 165 kills, 177 digs Favorite moment this season: Beating Crystal City in sectionals to move on to state...

Wendi Zickfield, Central (12/11/07)
Position: Hitter Year: Junior Season stats: 166 digs, 67 aces, 280 kills Favorite moment this season: When we played Jackson. Even though it was a loss, we played extremely well Pregame ritual: Before the game, we pray and we get pumped by listening to music and by focusing on what we need to do...

Maddy Hutchings, Leopold (12/11/07)
Position: Hitter Year: Senior Plans for next year: I am planning on attending Shawnee Community College on a volleyball scholarship and studying zoology Season stats: 258 kills/.339 percent, 94.5 blocks, 50 aces Favorite moment this season: Playing in the championship match at the SEMO Classic...

Kelsey Cissell, St. Vincent (12/11/07)
Position: Hitter/setter Year: Senior Plans for next year: Go to the University of Mississippi to study pharmacy. I will not play volleyball Season stats: 137 kills, 352 assists, 135 digs Favorite moment this season: When we beat Crystal City in sectionals to go to state...

Codie Lancaster, Bell City (12/11/07)
Position: Setter Year: Junior Season stats: 641 assists, 70 kills, .403 hitting percentage, 165 digs, 94 percent serving Favorite moment this season: The annual sleepover before districts Typical pre-game meal: Spaghetti Funniest moment this season: All of Jenny Lathum's sweet dancing and when Mallory Dockins tried to climb the wall unsuccessfully...

Jessica Abner, Bell City (12/11/07)
Position: Hitter Year: Senior Plans for next year: I have a volleyball scholarship to Shawnee Community College, and I plan on becoming a nurse Season stats: 253 kills, 55 serving aces, .355 hitting percentage Favorite moment this season: When I made the mile time the first day of preseason...

2007 all-Southeast Missourian volleyball team (12/11/07)
The Southeast Missourian sports staff put together a team of the most talented high school volleyball players in the newspaper's coverage area. Below is the roster, with links to each player's page. Hitter -- Brooke Brown, St. Vincent Hitter -- Casey Bucher, Leopold...

Bell City's Abner selected Southeast Missourian Volleyball Player of the Year (12/10/07)
Bell City senior Jessica Abner made one simple change that helped her play better volleyball this fall than her first three high school seasons. She improved her attitude -- period. "I know in the past years I hadn't tried as hard as I could, and during preseason, I worked a lot harder because I wanted to be the best," Abner said. "I don't know really what I did. I just know every time I got on the court, I would try to do my best...

Indians, Wildcats land two on all-state (11/22/07)
Eight local high school volleyball players earned all-state honors this fall, including two members from St. Vincent, which finished second in Class 2, and two members of the Leopold squad, which finished in third place in Class 1. St. Vincent seniors Kelsey Cissell and Brooke Brown both earned first-team all-state honors in Class 2. Leopold's Maddy Hutchings earned second-team all state for Class 1 and Wildcats junior Casey Bucher was awarded a state honorable mention...

Volleyball stars switch gears (11/19/07)
The St. Vincent volleyball team fell just shy of a state title a few weeks ago, finishing in second place in Class 2. Now four of the starters on that runner-up team will change into their blue and gold basketball uniforms and try to bring home a possible first-place finish on the court...

Twin Rivers' Woodham signs with Shawnee (11/15/07)
By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor BROSELEY -- Natosha Woodham is ready to make another big leap. The Twin Rivers senior signed her national letter of intent Wednesday to play volleyball at Shawnee Community College in Ullin, Ill. "I'm just really excited," Woodham said. "It's really close so that's good, too, good for my family."...

Nowacki named coach of the year (11/15/07)
The Southeast Missouri State volleyball team tied for the Ohio Valley Conference regular-season title despite being picked to finish sixth entering the year. By virtue of being the OVC's biggest surprise, Southeast's Renata Nowacki was named the conference's coach of the year Wednesday...

Area players dig up volleyball awards (11/14/07)
By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer Bernie middle hitter Jenny Eubank and setter Amber Mirth were named to the Class 1 all-state team as honorable mentions while Briana Johnson was honorable mention in Class 2. Several area volleyball players headlined their respective all-district teams as Twin Rivers led the way with four first-teamers and one second-team selection in Class 2 District 2, as well as four all-Ozark Foothills Conference selections...